1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus for recording information on a recording material, and more particularly to a recording apparatus having a detachable unit for storing the recording material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Laser printers, thermal printers and the like are known which record information on a recording material such as a silver salt film, photosensitive paper or ordinary paper. In such a recording apparatus, it is desirable for the recording material to be supplied continuously until recording is completed when recording a series of information spanning several pages, for example. When recording a large amount of information in particular, it is desirable for the recording material to be supplied without an interruption for the sake of high recording efficiency.
Generally, the recording material is stored in a container called a unit, magazine or cassette to be made available in a predetermined position inside an apparatus body. The recording material is supplied from the container to an information recording station in the apparatus body for recording information thereon. Normally, the recording material container is detachably mounted in the apparatus body to facilitate replenishment of the recording material. Thus, the recording material is replenished by removing the container from the apparatus body and placing a fresh supply of the recording material in the container. To carry out the replenishment of the recording material efficiently, it is necessary for the operator to constantly monitor the remaining quantity of recording material during the operation of the recording apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,479 discloses an electrophotographic copying machine which displays a quantity of paper remaining in a paper storage. With this copying machine, however, the remaining quantity of paper is displayed on its control panel, which entails the disadvantage that the operator can grasp the remaining quantity of paper only when he or she is close to the copying machine.